Photographic film treating apparatus



June 13, 1939. A. s. HOWELL 2,162,016

PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM TREATING APPARATUS l Filed Feb. 21, 19:55 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 13, 1939.l A.'s. HOWELL PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM TREATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 21, 1955 2 sheets-smet 2 Patented Junef'is, i939 iJNiTi-:D STATES y alarme PATENT oFrici-:j

PHOTOGRAPH() FILM mATlNG i y APPARATUS Alberi s. neveu, chime, im., rimit 'rire Bell & Howell Company, Ghicago, lll. a comration of Illinois Application February ai, 1935, serial No. 7,599

a claims. (ci. sa- 94) My invention relates particularly to the development of motion'picturelm strip although not limited to development alone.

The main object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel apparatus whereby photographc lm, such as motion picture film/strip..

strip developing tank embodying apparatus of my invention;`

Figure 2 is a vertically condensed partial secl tional view substantially on the line 2`2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a vertically condensed partial elevation similar to Figure' 1 with parts broken away and shown in section.

26 Referring to the drawings, a developing` tank is designated at I and projecting downwardly from an overhead support vin central relation with thel tank,is a supportv rod 2 on the lower end of' which is attached a horizontal cross bar structure 3. See Figure 1. Two parallel verti-l cal pipes 4 and-5 are secured to thecross bar, as designated at 6, .and project downwardly therefrom, the upper ends of vthesepipes being closed'by the 'securing means 6 and the lower ends of these pipes being'elosedby plugs 1 screwthreaded irito' the lower ends thereof as shown Secured on the lower end of the pipe- I is a bracket 8, and secured on the lowerr end of the 4o pipe- 5 is a brackets to which is secured another bracket vIII by a securing structure designated generally at II. The bracket-8 is provided with a bored boss I2 and the bracket Il is provided with a boredf boss' I3 alin'ed with the boss 4.5 I2, and a revolubly horizontal shaft. vI4 is journaled -in thebores ofthe I2 and I3. See v Figures1,2and 3.

'- T iittingsli are secured on` the pipes l and 5 adjacent their upper ends, and a horizontal- 5o shaft I8 extends across between and is mounted on'the fittings I5. A series of ansed rollers I1 is rotatably mounted on the shaft I8 between the fittings I5, and a` second series of flanged' rollers I8'areflxedontheshaft Iltobedriven issthere'liitA A hollow vertical shaft I8 is.journa1ed adiacent its lower end in a bored boss 2l on the bracket 8l and is journaled adjacentits upper end'in a bored extension 22 ofthe cross bar 8, and this shaft'is connected .with'the shaft I4 f5 to drive the saine by means ofI a bevel gear 23 secured on the lower end of the shaft I8'and meshing with a bevel gear 24 securedon the adjacent end of the shaft I4.y

A downwardly' extending shaft 25 is engaged l0 for sliding movement in the vbore of the shaft I9 and is angulariy fixed therewith in a`usua1 manner vfor driving the shaft I8 from an overhead point to driv'etbe rollers I8.

As usual the rod 2 is supported above the tank. l5 by a usual elevating mechanism, not shown, for vertical movement of the cross bar 3 andthe .assembly carried thereby .into and out of the tank I for the purpose of convenience ticularly in lacing film 2 on the rollersv I1 yand I8,

see Figures l and 2, the shaft 25 being also as usual, suspended andl driven 'from above theA tank and the sliding connection between the. shafts I8 and 25 accommodating for vertical movement of the shaft I8; 1 The lm 28 is fed 25V to and from the outer rollers I6 as shown in Figure 2 and is alternately trained over the roll` ers I1 and I8, as indicated in Figure 1, the film being didyen at a constant speedjto provide a' uniform period of immersion ofthe film in pho- 30 tographic treating fluid container in the tank I.

Two T .fittings 21 are securedon the pipe l, one adjacent the upper end and one adjacent the lower end of this pipe, and screwthreaded into hollow -lateral portions of Vthese fittings are 35 f lateral circulation opening pipes 28l forming branchesy of the pipe 4 and disposed'between the stretches of Vthe nlm 28 trained over the rollers i1 and lathepipe 4 being provide@ with ieterru apertures 28 ed vwith the pipes '28 to provide 40 communication between the pipe 4 and the pipes l 28. SeeFlgures 12-and 3.

vThe end of the l fupper`pipe 28 adjacent the pipe I is sealed and supported by engagement thereof in thehollow lateral portion of aT fitting secured on the pipe I, and the corresponding endof the lower pipe 28is sealed'andsupported by engagement thereof in abored part 3l forming a partof the securing means II.

Three T fittings 32 are secured in spaced re- 50 lation' on ethe pipei between the fitting 38 and the bracket8, 'and screwthreaded'intothe` hol- 'low lateral portions of these fittings are-lateral ot the lm 26 trained over the'rollers I1 and I8, the pipe i being provided with lateral apertures Il alined with the pipes 33 to provide communication between the pipe 5 and the pipes ll. The ends of the pipes 33 adjacent the -pipe l are sealedv and supported by engagement thereof in the hollow lateral portions of T iittings l5 secured' on the'pipe 4.

'Ihe pipes Il are each provided with a longitudinally extending row o1' restricted circulation apertures '38, the apertures of one pipe facing one series of` stretches of the illm between the rollers i'l and Il and the other facing the other series of stretches ofdthe nlm between theserollers.

The pipes 33 are each provided with two longitudinally extending rows of restricted *circulation apertures 31 which are arranged on opposite sides of each of these pipes so that one row faces one series of stretches of the lm between the rollers i1 and I8 and the ntherA faces the other series of stretches of the illm'4 between these rollers.

Each of the pipes l and 5 is provided with a branch tting 38 secured thereon and provided with an angled passage I9, see Figures l and 2, which communicates with the pipe through a lateral aperture 40 in the pipe. A nipple 4I is screwthreaded downwardly into each tting Il in communication 'with the passage i'or.' engagement with a flexible pipe such as a rubber hose, designated at l2 in Figure 2, for communicating each of the pipes 4 and B with a suitable' circulating system.

From the above it will be seen that a unit is rormedef the circulation pipe structure and the nlm path defining. means which is supported on` the circulation pipe structure, thepadvantages of which are obvious, the entire unit being supported from the support rod! for movement into and out of the tank. l

. HavingV thus described my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details described as changespmay be readily made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but havingv thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the followingzl. In a photographic treating apparatus the combination with means dening a film-strip path comprising two spaced series of revoluble' rollers, of a circulation pipe means forming a-y support for said rollers and extending-between *said two series of 'rollers and provided with a lateral branch between said two series of rollers,

said lateral branch being perforated therealong.

2. In a photographic treating apparatus the combination with means defining a i'll'm strip path, of outlet and inlet circulation pipes extending adjacent said path and provided with perforations therealong.

3. In a photographic treating apparatus the vcombination with means dening Aa villm strip path comprising two spaced series of revoluble rollers, oi.' spaced outlet and inlet Vcirculation pipes forming a support for said rollers and extending between said two series of rollers and provided with lateral branches spaced longitudinally thereof, said lateral branches having perforations therealong. i

ALBERT S. HOWELL. 

